1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a package for glass caps for sealing, for example, solid-state image sensing devices, IC chips or a like device or element to which dust could quite often cause serious damages or deteriorate its function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, research and development of solid-state image sensing device for use in video cameras have been made widely.
Solid image pickup apparatus generally has a solid-state image sensing element such as CCD (charge coupled device) or MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) fixedly housed in a ceramics package or a like and the package is sealed with a glass cap coated with an organic or inorganic adhesive. Sealing of solid-state image sensing device or a like with a glass cap is performed as follows. That is, one of the glass caps 1 stored in a storage casing 5 for storing glass caps as shown in FIG. 1, which casing is usually made of a resin such as polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene, is picked up with a forceps or pincette or a like holding means, and is placed on the upper frame of a ceramics package 6 and above a solid-state image sensing element 7, which is partly covered with a light shielding plate, in such a manner that the opening of the ceramics package as shown FIG. 2 can be closed therewith. Alternatively, the glass cap is placed on the upper frame of the ceramics package after it is coated with an adhesive, followed by heating the coated glass cap as is without pressurization or under pressure with a clip, for example, to melt the adhesive, thereby bonding the glass cap to the package.
In the process of manufacturing such image pickup apparatus, contamination of glass caps could occur frequently. The glass caps are contaminated with dust or a like undesirable matter not only in the process of manufacture but also during the period from their manufacture to the sealing of the solid-state image sensing element.
In the conventional storage casing as shown in FIG. 1 at present widely employed, minute particles of undesired matters such as glass powder and adhesive powder, minute fragments of the casing itself are formed, or foreign matters which stick to the casing are scattered, by the vibration of the casing or shocks given to the casing when the casing storing the glass caps is transported and they tend to adhere to the glass caps. Obviously, the function of the solid-state image sensing device is seriously deteriorated when it is manufactured using such contaminated glass caps.
It is therefore necessary to remove various undesirable or foreign matters, and also the glass caps should be handled with care in order to prevent the formation of foreign matters. This reduces the efficiency of operation and makes it difficult to automate the process of the solid-state image sensing device.